(MISSISSAUGA) 13 March 2017 – Lambton College students built a solar power drip irrigation system to provide food 800 students annually in the community of Gaali. Through University of Ottawa’s Project Iqaluit Innovation Hub, 42 people have been exposed to entrepreneurship as a viable career path, and four people have started their own businesses. In Gujarat India, Ryerson University students empowered local “waterpreneurs” to manufacture and sell ceramic water filters, while simultaneously educating community residents about water sanitation.
These are just a few of the projects presented at the Enactus Canada Regional Exposition, which took place March 9-10 in Mississauga.
“The event inspires and celebrates the entrepreneurial action of student teams across Central Canada,” said Nicole Almond, President of Enactus Canada, the country’s largest post-secondary experiential learning platform. “Like in business, competition drives creativity and results. Year after year, our students continue to amaze us through their innovation, drive to succeed and desire to give back.”
Four team-based competitions focused on financial education, environmental sustainability, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship took place at the event. Post-secondary student teams demonstrated the impact of their projects to panels of business executives serving as judges. Regional Champions were named in each category and will now move on to compete nationally May 9-11 at the 2017 Enactus Canada National Exposition in Vancouver.
The Capital One Financial Education Challenge is a national competition empowering post-secondary students to develop and deliver projects that teach relevant financial skills. Since 2012, this challenge has engaged 6,316 students across the country, resulting in 620 financial education outreach projects, and directly impacting the financial futures of 69,826 people.
2017 Capital One Financial Education Challenge Regional Champions for Central Canada:
• University of Toronto – St. George: Catapult
Upon conducting an extensive needs assessment, students from the University of Toronto realized that by empowering marginalized and low-income women through a six-week financial literacy workshop, they could help them secure better jobs and ultimately, lead better lives. Since 2016, Project Catapult has equipped 40 women with the confidence to budget and use banks with more than half of participants opening up their very first bank account.
• Lambton College: Strength In Numbers
Upon partnering with three unique organizations including Youth Jobs Connection, a local food bank, and the Lambton College’s own International Student Department, students created and delivered a financial literacy program to over 320 participants. The Strength In Numbers program modules range from financial management, goal-setting, budgeting and expense tracking, credit and debt management and savings and investments. As of March 2017, 324 have been directly impacted by the program, with post-session participants exhibiting a $50 monthly reduction in debt and $25 monthly increase in savings.
• University of Windsor: Youthrive
Upon learning that 60 per cent of students leave high school without basic financial education, students from the University of Windsor created Youthrive, an intensive 10-week one-on-one consulting and financial literacy education program focused on accelerating young entrepreneurs. Since 2016, Youthrive has empowered 446 students, who are operating their own businesses.
The Scotiabank EcoLiving Green Challenge empowers post-secondary students to develop and deliver projects that teach viable solutions to relevant environmental issues. Since 2010, 6,518 students have helped conserve 24,405,251 litres of water, diverted 168,653,116 pounds of waste and introduced 3,322 organizations to green business practices.
2017 Scotiabank EcoLiving Green Challenge Regional Champions for Central Canada:
• Ryerson University: Project Pura
In Gujarat India, where 70 per cent of the population faces high water stress, Enactus students created Project Pura, which empowers local waterpreneurs to manufacture and sell ceramic water filters, while simultaneously providing a water sanitation education and entrepreneurship program to drive growth. In only three months, Enactus Ryerson’s Project Pura has filtered 81,000L of water and Indian waterpreneurs are projecting an increase in their monthly household income by 60 per cent.
• Lambton College: One Seed
Enactus Lambton College students built a solar power drip irrigation system to provide food security for 800 students in the community of Gaali. As a result, enrollment at the local school is up 400 students, children will no longer starve throughout the year, their diets have been enhanced by fresh fruit and vegetables, and 360,000,000 lbs of waste has been diverted.
• University of Windsor: Project Releaf
In the African village of Tamda, where the local stream used for washing and bathing is also used for dumping waste, Enactus students developed a water filter using clay and sawdust, which filters 99 per cent of pathogens, to empower local entrepreneurs. Since 2016, Enactus Windsor’s Project Releaf has enabled five entrepreneurs to sell water filters and has increased 900 villagers’ access to clean water.
The Scotiabank Youth Empowerment Challenge encourages post-secondary students to develop and deliver projects that address the needs and opportunities facing youth. Focused on education, learning skills and supporting the life-long success of youth aged 25 and under, this challenge has engaged 3,175 students since 2016, who have impacted more than 15,922 youth through 149 community empowerment projects.
2017 Scotiabank Youth Empowerment Challenge Regional Champions for Central Canada:
• University of Ottawa: Sanajiit
In an effort to increase the high school graduation rate in Nunavut (35%), Enactus students launched a furniture-making social enterprise that teaches northern youth carpentry skills, while also employing them to upcycle discarded wood into in-demand products. Through project Sanajiit, they’ve worked with five youth to launch a business selling recycled wood furniture, with 500 lbs recycled last month alone. Through weekly workshops, they also coach youth to lead the overall business strategy, marketing and sales campaigns for their businesses.
• Ryerson University: Project Sacred Valley
In a small Peruvian village, Enactus students partnered with the Kusi Kawsay school to develop a sustainable on-ground business, located out of the schools’ community garden producing locally-made, organic products, which are then sold to local restaurants. Through project Sacred Valley, five youth have been employed and a total of 117 youth have been impacted through a hands-on approach to learning.
• University of Windsor: Youthrive
Upon learning that 60 per cent of students leave high school without basic financial education, Enactus students created Youthrive, an intensive 10-week one-on-one consulting and financial literacy education program focused on accelerating young entrepreneurs. Since 2016, 446 youth who operate their own business have been empowered, over 1,000 youth received skill development and workforce training and 36 new youth job opportunities have been created.
The TD Entrepreneurship Challenge is a national competition empowering post-secondary students to develop and deliver projects that teach relevant entrepreneurship skills to aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. Since 2007, 13,018 students have exposed 67,875 people to entrepreneurship as a viable career path and have positively impacted 15,893 entrepreneurs.
2017 TD Entrepreneurship Challenge Regional Champions for Central Canada:
• University of Ottawa: Iqaluit Innovation Hub
In an effort to combat Nunavut’s high rate of social assistance and unemployment rates (2x the national average), students launched a social enterprise that gives entrepreneurs access to the tools, affordable space and resources needed to successfully launch their businesses. Through Enactus University of Ottawa’s Project Iqaluit Innovation Hub, four community partnerships have been established to ensure long-term sustainability of the program, 42 people have been exposed to entrepreneurship as a viable career path, and 4 people have started their own businesses.
• University of Windsor: Cookstart
In Windsor, one of the most ethnically-diverse cities in the country, students operate a one-on-one consulting program that supports immigrants and other people that have struggled to secure employment develop a sustainable food business. CookStart has established partnerships with the OPIRG Community Kitchen, Public Health Services Association (PHSA), Canadian Mental Health Association and Walmart Canada and is a multiple award winning project for its impact in the community and for empowering women in the Windsor-Essex region. Twenty-nine people have been empowered to turn their passion of food into a means of financial independence, 16 new businesses have been created, and $431,951 in revenue has been generated through the project.
• Lambton College: Hippy Peanut Butter
In an effort to move farmers up the value chain and reduce malnutrition in Zambia, students from Lambton College worked with locals to build a peanut butter production facility with products to be sold in the town of Monze. Through Enactus Lambton College’s Hippy Peanut Butter, eight jobs have been created to-date and a leading grocery chain in Zambia has agreed to stock 2,000 jars per week, which will allow the project to scale and employ more than 100 farmers.
A summary of all of the 2017 Enactus Canada Regional Exposition results can be viewed at enactus.ca/events/regional-expositions/central-canada.
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ABOUT ENACTUS CANADA: Enactus Canada, the country’s largest post-secondary experiential learning platform, is shaping entrepreneurial leaders who are passionate about advancing the economic, social and environmental health of Canada. Guided by academic advisors and business experts, more than 2,734 entrepreneurial post-secondary students led 280 community empowerment projects and business ventures last year in communities coast to coast. As a global network of 36 countries, Enactus uses the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better, more sustainable world. For more information, visit enactus.ca.
Media Inquiries:
Jennifer Falzon
Director, Marketing & Strategic Growth, Enactus Canada
jen@enactus.ca | 416.304.1566 x222 | 416.315.2099